1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reinforced powerboat construction and more specifically it relates to such a construction wherein structural members are provided to facilitate the transfer of loads applied to one portion of the boat, such as the transom to other portions of the powerboat.
2. Description of the Preferred Embodiments
As employed herein, the term "performance boat" shall mean noncommercial boats equipped with outboard marine engines or inboard-outboard marine engines having a horsepower in excess of 100 and are up to about 30 feet in overall length. Such boats are frequently used by competition fishermen to get from a starting point to the area where fishing will be initiated, as well as numerous other uses.
Such performance boats may take the form of runabouts, ski boats, and fishing boats. For example, the fishing boat may be generally similar with the bass boat having a lower gunwale than the walleye boat. It has been known to provide such boats with a length of about 10 to 30 feet, for example. It has also been known to construct such boats with a hull made from a single layer of aluminum with a transom composed of a sandwich panel consisting of an interior aluminum skin, an exterior aluminum skin and an interposed plywood layer. Such constructions distribute loads applied to the transom to the hull and sidewalls of the boat. The use of single layer aluminum construction generally requires a relatively thick aluminum material which may be in excess of 0.080 inch.
It is known that among the functions of the boat transom are to distribute the tensile, compressive, shear and torsional loads developed by high performance outboard marine engines to other areas of the boat.
The transom is not only subjected to loads imposed by the weight and thrust of the outboard or outboard-inboard marine engine, but also must effectively handle loads imposed by the powerboat moving at high rates of speed and the associated water and air forces imposed on the boat.
In spite of the previously known constructions, there remains a real and substantial need for an improved performance boat transom wherein loads are more efficiently distributed to other portions of the boat.